Park to Park Trail gets kick-start funding

Huntsville Forester

SEGUIN TWP. - Seguin Township is making a $20,000 investment in the region’s trails.
The Park to Park Trail Association, which oversees trails from Killbear to Algonquin Park, received $20,960 from the Seguin Township following a vote in council Monday night.
The money will be used to increase the associations presence on the trails with the goal of selling more trail passes to ATV. and other motorized vehicle users.
The organization, which has been in operation since 2001, has always struggled to cover its operating costs. In early December, the organization presented to council arguing that if they received capital for additional employees they would be able to sell more trail passes and thus make the organization sustainable.
The plan
Councillor Bruce Gibbon explained the plan at Monday’s meeting.
“To get to the point of economic stability you do it one year and then out of that you have a database of all the people who went by and you get them coming back,” said Gibbon. “You establish the fact that on the Seguin trail you have to have a permit just like you have to have a tag on your car that allows you to drive on the road.”
In a letter to Seguin Township, Park to Park said they will refund the money to the township over the course of five years if their income projections prove accurate. The organization has a substantial amount of evidence to account for their confidence that they will be able to pay the money back. In 2012, Park to Park was able to collect roughly $25,000 in the sale of trail passes to ATV and other motorized vehicle users of the trail. They achieved those numbers by selling the passes at a few local businesses and by stopping people on the trail over the course of a few key weekends. Similar associations in the U.S.A. that charge ATV. trail users for passes have generated incomes in the $100,000s.
Jack Tynan, chair of Park to Park, said the organization is delighted to receive the support.
“We recognize that we need to put a program in place to a capitalize on the visitors who do use the trail and get more users on to it so it benefits our whole region,” Tynan said. “Seguin is stepping up and committing to that.” Jack Tynan, chair of Park to Park, said the organization is delighted to receive the support.
“We recognize that we need to put a program in place to a capitalize on the visitors who do use the trail and get more users on to it so it benefits our whole region,” Tynan said. “Seguin is stepping up and committing to that.”
On top of raising money to support the trail itself, supporters of the program say it could be used to promote things like safety on the trail as well as promoting regional tourism.
They hope to use markers on the trail to teach the area’s history and promote the various townships’ unique brands.
“It’s going to create a program that markets and makes it very clear that for motorized users it’s a pay as you go trail. The second part of that program is going to be having a presence on the trail to tell people the same but to sell passes to those users who are riding on it and having an impact,” said Tynan.
Park to Park’s plan is to hire one full-time temporary staff member, install an infrared trail counter, develop signage along the trail and establish an e-payment system that would allow users to pay for their pass on the trail. They also hope to take advantage of a government program to hie a second person to act as an intern.
For more information on Park to Park, or to pick up a trail pass, visit their website at www.parktoparktrail.com.